THE BAN

Флекс Хуфер

В 2012-13 по просьбе своего друга, который не мог найти сюжет для режиссерской работы в Нью-Йорке (NYFA), написал историю для экранизации "The Ban". История оказалась большой, в итоге снимал он что-то другое, на 10-15 минут. Английский наверняка не лучший, но выхода не было - предполагалось, что все участники проекта будут англоязычными. "The Ban" - социальная фантастика. Люди живут в обществе, где контакты между полами ограничены настолько,что разделены зоны жизни. Эта искусственная ситуация была срежиссирована политиками и бизнесменами с помощью череды сексуальных скандалов, раздутыми в прессе и на телевидении. Демократия привела к тому, что народ как бы сам захотел такого разделения. Бизнес годами получает миллиардные доходы от производства и проката роботов - заменителей людей. Много интересных граней вы найдете в жизни главного героя. Загадки той среды, которая изображена в истории, будут сохраняться до самого конца. Приятного чтения.

I
Day 1, yellow
It was a nice apartment of a well paid professional. In the sleeping room walls were covered with light lemon yellow paint which gave sunny mood even in December evenings. Holographic screen of smart-home system were shut off. Pulse of green dots counted down the time to wake up. At last music started playing, soft in the beginning, becoming louder as the computer voice was saying:
- Please wake up. It is eight-thirty as you ordered.
- Got you. Switch off.
Music slowly faded. Jason opened his eyes squinting and sat in the bed. The mobile module behind his ear that was shut during sleep became alive with vivid green color.
- Ok, let’s go. One espresso and three toasts!
Jason went to the bathroom. When he was back to the kitchen a cup of hot espresso and toasts were ready. He found some goat cheese and honey, spread it on toasts and started his Saturday breakfast.
First thing in Saturdays Jason liked to make shopping to refill his ref. Of course, he could make orders in the net and the same supermarket would deliver it on time. But he liked to go and choose things for himself, looking and touching vegetables, fruits, even cans before he buys it. Today it took a little longer and he was short in time. By the moment he unpacked everything and loaded his ref he was about ten minutes late. He has a date and he wanted to be exactly at twelve in the park.
“Why I am so nervous? Or am I not? Maybe it is something serious this time. Maybe. I just could not wait to see her,” – admitted Jason, looking at his mirror and tying up the tie. He was in a hurry but had a couple of spare minutes left. He hated to be late when he made appointments.
- Incoming call from Alan, - his system announced.
- Damned! Take it!
- …Hi Jason! We need you tonight!
- Hi Alan! Look, I don’t have time to waste!
- Sure, just a minute! Come to “Cowboy’s paradise” by 11 pm. You won’t regret! Chris has invitations for all of us. We gonna have some real fun!
- I can’t go I am afraid.
Jason paused and said:
- I have a date tonight. I guess I found the one I was looking for...
- Hey, we did not see you for two last weeks, man! But I understand. Okay, have a nice date then! But Chris is jealous!
- Thanks, Alan. Got to go. Tell me tomorrow how it was!
- Sure. Take care!
Jason walked to the chest of drawers passing by his glass table and white leather couch. He looked at his teenage photo with friends, Alan and Chris.
- Yeah guys, have fun. I’m out.

Jason went down the moisten alleys of Central Park. Yellow maples were lit by low autumn sun. All around were covered with wet golden leaves. It was autumn, but Jason had spring in his heart at full swing. By his thirty two he had it for the first time this strong. World looked different. She was someone he was going to live for forgetting himself.
Jason stopped at the bench where they had to meet. She was late. An old man with a dog passed Jason, two joggers ran across. There were several pairs – walking the park and sitting on benches. Jason had some time to watch them.
She showed up in one of alleys. She went slightly faster than usually. Jason started towards her. Eventually they met.
- Laura!
- Jason!
They have been to parks, cinemas, museums and restaurants. They talked on everything for hours and it seems it was not enough. Jason felt something inside is so strong, making him a king and a slave that was impossible to avoid. That feeling was so obvious that all of him became this feeling. Jason drowned in it and could not find himself any more.
There was an ordinary dinner in “La Cucina” . Candles on the white tablecloth, dessert plates and a couple of wine glasses, a half full bottle of some red wine, muted piano music from the hall to the right. Never stopping conversation. Jason offered:
- Would you like to take a look at my place?
Laura paused. She wanted to get closer to Jason and it was unexpected anyway.
- Yeah, why not! I’d like to see your cave.
- Speaking of cave, I have some nice Sauterne, 6 years old!
- That sounds so sweet I can’t wait.
- Sweet is you, my dear! Let’s go!
Jason opened his door and gave way to Laura. She entered a spacey room with modern furniture with windows view of the night city lights. Jason helped her to take off her raincoat. Then he offered her to sit at the couch and turned to his kitchen wine storage.
- Okay, here is your Sauterne and some blue cheese, I don’t remember the name, - said Jason entering the room.
Laura was by the chest of drawers looking at his photos with friends. He came from behind and gave her a glass.
- Try it!
Laura smelled a scent from her glass and made a slow sip, getting the most of the wine taste.
- Sweet but with so many shades of peach, vanilla and some bitterness.
- Yeah, that’s what I feel, - said Jason. He came closer, taking her glass and putting both glasses aside. Laura looked at him and they embraced each other. Jason stretched his leg and clumsy hit the table. A glass shuttered on the floor.

II
Day 2, blue
It was the same bedroom of Jason, maybe more of blue tones in the interior due to the window blinds. Music started playing the computer voice was saying:
- Please wake up. It is seven-thirty as you ordered.
- Got you. Switch off.
Music faded.
Jason turned in the bed to the other side opening his eyes. There was no Laura. He jumped off the bed and looked at the door hangers – nothing. Embarrassed he went to the kitchen to check the bottle and glasses and did not find any.
Jason’s mobile chip by his ear started to blink blue. There was a melody of a phone call and the picture of Alan appeared on the smart home holographic screen:
- Incoming call from Alan.
- Accept.
After the click Jason said:
- Hey, Alan, what's up! How was your party in “Cowboy’s”? And the girls? Did they worth it?
- Are you okay dude? What party? Today is Thursday! Whether you bumped hard your head yesterday, or what?
- Ha-ha! Very funny! - Jason was unable to understand what is going on. Was it a dream? Just a dream? Jason shrugs his shoulders. A dream…
- I just want to remind you we hang out today as usual.
- Right. I’ll be there. Got to go. See you.
- Bye!
Alan hung up. Jason went to the bathroom. Walking by the screen he said
- TV, news!
The screen lighted up and showed a studio with news that were about to begin. It was a system that records the latest news and shows it on demand.
Jason stood close by the sink. He looked at the mirror. Then he washed his face with attempt to brush away his night dream. Meanwhile the news were going on and he heard:
- There was an attempt to jeopardize our society. Few left-wing extremists tried to generate high-frequency signal to induce an effect to citizens to cause disturbances, anxiety and violence. Eventually police and FBI kept situation under control. Seven criminal group members were arrested. They would spend the rest of their lives in the prison without any contact and right for amnesty. The ideologist of so-called Resistance, Paul Casey is still wanted. Arrest warrant is issued, the police spokesman said.
Jason looked at the screen and saw a photo of Paul Casey. It was a calm but firm face, obviously in his early fifties
- What the hell they are standing for? Split the society? Why? Switch to the Science channel.
The screen showed a studio with two persons seated in the chairs. There was a big blue sign behind the chairs up on the white wall “TECH-IN-DEPTH” and a green “ROBOSYNTECH” sign lower than the first.
An engineer started the story been asked obviously before:
- In 2040-45 microprocessors developed so much they could easily substitute a human brain. Video information is instantly processed and served in memory. Memory is unlimited compare to man’s. Speed of processing is far beyond.
Reporter asked:
- Processors are important for sure, but what the robot is constructed from?
- In parallel to the processor progress, biotechnologists made possible human tissue and bones growth and regeneration. Lab experiments not yet approved for human use, but were widely explored in robots by 2045. Energy is produced with the same glycogen split in muscles. Glycogen is produced within robot’s body from any sort of carbohydrate containing food.
- And how the processor makes the body move, talk or laugh, for example?
- Robots have electric impulse operating system. Network of polymer threads is instead of human nervous system. The thread network takes the same channels in the tissue. The network is operated by central processor in the skull. This “robot nervous system” differs from the human one. Robots’ system can not have negative recognition of impulse in brain for bad smell or taste. That helps them use almost anything as food. However, if it is needed to discuss matters with people like fine wine or haut cuisine, robot can describe it with ease, having full chart of human priorities.
- Haut-cuisine! My god! Could this bot detect if Chateau Petrus or Romanee-Conti is in the glass? – The reporter seemed to have fun in stymieing the engineer.
- Technically speaking, no. People could not detect them in blind degustation either. What bot can do – is to detect if the wine is spoiled with some defect. If the wine is good, the bot could describe all the major and minor qualities of the scent and taste of the wine, as an average sommelier.
- Do they really have that deep sensitivity?
- Robot has very high pain threshold, it makes signals for help if it only could be a fatal threat to processor or entire body. On the other hand, it has high touch sensitivity. Eventually, with such a wide abilities, robot became a perfect machine. By 2050 it started replace a human partner in conversation, discussions of any kind, - tasting wine and food, playing golf, dancing, -whatever. And finally sex, of course.
- Let me summarize. Analytically and physically robot is identical or more advanced than human. The difference is – people have something intangible- soul, some inner heart with real feelings that are not possible to emulate by robots processor.
- You are exactly right. I do not think we are able to create souls and put into robots as a program in any foreseeable future.
Both were smiling with these last words. Jason grinned and said to himself:
- Who knows? Processor could emulate anything…
There was an advertising started after the tech show. Some nice looking brown girl with charming look was saying her phrase:
- Ocean of pleasure!
A convincing male voice behind clarified:
- Our most advanced model.
- Best sensations.
- Up to two hundred parameter combination.
- Make your choice and get it different!
- Get a partner of your life!
- Robosyntech - for you!
And again the nice robot promised the ocean of pleasure.

Jason went down the street. He was close to his apartment block where he was heading after the job. There was a photo of Paul Casey on the wall and the text beneath. “A person against the state? He might be crazy!” - Jason looked at it and passed by. The side of the street he was on has a sign M. This blue M letter visible in the night was repeated on every corner, every block of the city. Pink W signs were on the other side of the street. Women were going back and forth on this side. Jason could not meet anybody but men on his side of the street. Shops that were at M side were serving only men. The staff were men too. Office buildings had two separate entrances for men and women. Elevators were identified the same way - M and W.
He was going along the wall and windows for some time. Jason took a look at the other side. Among the figures of women ahead of him he mentioned a familiar silhouette. He stopped, unable to believe. Men passed him by. Jason made several steps along her way, with heart beating fast. Then he tried to overtake the woman to see her face. Pictures of the park and restaurant and his beloved Laura were changing each other in his head.
Jason stepped over the line drawn at the edge of his walking area. Lines were along both men and women areas separating them. The same moment he heard the buzz and got the voice from his device:
- “Warning! You are leaving men’s area!”
Jason made a step back off the line and tried to catch up Laura again. Several more steps… He almost got her, some ten yards left. Laura turned to the door of a nearby store labeled W and went in. Jason exhaled. It was her! And he lost her!

A restaurant was half-filled with men in the evening. Some came to have dinner, some to kill time. Jason was going to see his friends.
He met Alan in the university golf team. From the very beginning they realized they are close in many ways. Time spent together had many reminiscences from sport events and exams, summer trips and wild Friday nights. After the university Alan went as a writer and reporter to BCN Media, and Jason started his career with Starex Semiconductors. Alan was early family oriented. No surprise, he was bringing up a son that was twelve by now. Five years after graduation Alan and Jason met Chris on some party, a younger guy, but somehow they became friends. Chris worked with an advertising company and knew every public place in the city. Entertainment was his obsession. Alan and Jason never had a tough choice on Fridays. Everything new or valuable to see was opened for them with Chris.
Chris, Alan and his son Kevin were sitting at the restaurant table looking at the menu.
- Look thru the Menu and chose something for you, Kevin. What would you like to drink?
Kevin looked at his father and said with a mischievous smile:
- Duos Tequilas, por favor. No se olvide, me encanta este c;lido y r;pido!*
Alan and Chris laughed. Alan turned to Chris and said with pride:
- Look at him, five years passed and he speaks Spanish, and this year he was the best in class in Math.
- Yeah, great! Jason is also impressed with Kevin and who knows, one day we both should follow your Father way!
- By the way, when I talked to Jason today, he was strange a bit. Like lost, embarrassed or something. Do you happen to know what is going on with him?
- I have no idea, - said Chris.
Jason entered the hall of the restaurant. He was met by the headwaiter and being ushered to the table. Everyone smiles at the table noticing him approaching.
- A-hah, here comes the Guru!
- Hi, magician!
- Hi guys, hi Kevin! How are you?
- Fine, old boy!
- Congratulations, Jason! I heard The Technology Board called you the best in industry!
- Come on, that’s nothing. But thanks.
Alan takes his word:
- Guys, Kevin goes to his grandpa for the weekend on Friday. Why won’t we go somewhere?
Chris immediately responded:
- I know a new place, opened this week. The Glass Cube. They mix modern and 15-20 years old hits. Best DJ’s from east coast. And I know it is something we can’t miss. Come on guys, I confirm to Jim we are in!
Alan asked further:
- Sounds great! They are just men, or have the wall for women?
- Yeah, they have both spaces with a new magnetic field divider instead of the glass wall.
Jason stepped in with a hint of irritation:
- Look guys, does anyone knows why the hell we got this division? – He waved his hand towards the sign M at the entrance -
- I mean, we all live like that and it is okay with me, but how did it all start?
Alan looked at Chris meaningfully remembering strange morning call.
Kevin asked something muted close to Alan’s ear. Alan waved his hand and pointed out to the entrance as if showing the way. Kevin stood up and went to the bathroom.
With a serious face Chris responded:
- I guess great division started from toilettes.
- C’mon, I am serious. Who knows our history? Alan, as a journalist, you have to know it.
- Oh, sure I do,- Alan started.-
- 2018, the Boston case. Sexual harassment, three women were victims of their boss who got 15 years in prison. People went on the streets, Human Rights Party strike; they made a lot of noise. People demanded gender division in office space.
- This Human Rights Party evolved from nowhere. Three percent in 2015, fifteen in 2019, thirty five percent by 2025! In 2030 the Party has forty five percent in Senate. Republicans and Democrats became two opposing parties.
- Public opinion favored the complete separation of men and women at work first. In 2032 William Morgan Act made corporations to have separated working spaces for men and women. Five years later the same senator initiated Senate hearing on separation for public places like restaurants, supermarkets, cinemas and so on. Human Rights Party declared sexual relation as a way to exploit a free person.
- Oh, yeah, I remember, - said Chris.- It was when one of the party leaders, the shrink, explained it is a sort of physical manipulation intolerable by a normal human being.
- Besides, new lethal virus, unknown in the human history started to spread. By 2035 about three hundred thousand people were found infected and hundred and ten thousand died. A person could only be infected during sexual contact. By the time, industry developed so advanced human-like robots with super fast processors, capable of doing all the work of housekeeping, that it was not difficult to develop them into perfect sex-partners. Business of creating and producing new robots grew rapidly. It was driven by delivery companies that doubled their sales to private customers every six months. Robosyntech made billions. Bots became indistinguishable from humans in behavior. And many people said they do not see any difference as to be with a bot or a human partner.
Chris entered:
- Bots have no feelings. That is the only bad thing about that, beside the price! - He grinned.
- Maybe, but people mostly lived alone by 2045. It became common to order a Private Delivery every week for singles. In 2048 we got final stage in the division – total Ban for sexual relations between any two human beings including minorities. The FGI - Federal Gender Intelligence was created for enforcement of the Ban. The person trying to or breaching it is risking five years of his freedom as a minimum.
Everyone was silent for a moment. Kevin went in and took his seat.
- Why are you so serious? What are you talking about?
- We discuss our law system and equal rights of men and women, son. As an example, we have equal men and women Senate, - responded Alan.
- Why do we have only one President then?
- President is elected for 4-years term. Now it is a man. New elections will be for a woman president and every citizen has the right to vote but choose only between women. After that – a term for a man. And so on.
- I see.
Alan turns to Chris and Jason:
- To my mind the Ban has many positive sides. No conflicts in families. No cheating. No divorces. No pain that we know our many generations had. If you want to bring up a son – you apply to this General Reproduction Corporation and you have genetically your own child in a year! Same for women who want to bring up daughters. It is plain and fair as I see it.
Jason replied with a grin:
- Right, fair! You sound like a Human Right activist.
- Why are you digging into it? I mean, is something going on with you?
- No, I am Okay. Just wanted to refresh my memory. Thank you, Alan.
- Yeah, buddy, at your service. Keep it up!
Alan clapped on the Jason’s shoulder smiling.

III
Jason and Laura again walked in the park. They talked, Laura was smiling looking at Jason. They seem to be happy again being together. Some strange voice started to bother Jason. It repeats and becomes clearer now:
- Please wake up. It is seven-thirty as you ordered.
Visions faded away. Jason opened his eyes. It was only a dream. Jason was absolutely happy a minute ago, lost in his dream. Now it is over. Reality made him wake up and forget about Laura.

Jason came in to caf; and headed for the table where Alan was already waiting for him.
- Hi!
- What’s up, buddy?
Jason took the chair and sat down. They asked a waiter for two coffees and started to talk.
- Are you all right? – asked Alan.
- Yeah, I’m ok. Just wanted to talk to you.
- I am all yours, man.
- Strange things happen. Have you ever seen repeated dreams?
- Yeah, since I hit thirteen! – Alan laughed. – You mean this, or you have something different in mind?
Waiter brought coffee. Alan took his cup and sipped.
- No, Alan. It is not about that. Well, it is but… Look, I see a woman that is the same in several dreams. We have relations. To tell you the truth, I am in love. Every time it looks so real that I can not understand I am in that dream again.
- Oh, I see. You need a shrink. I had this kind of dreams and was prescribed pills I can’t remember the name now. Zitex or… Tizex. Two weeks and you forget about your visions. – Alan paused, - Strange thing that you are not alone. I‘d been talking to guys in our group. Seven out of ten tells the same.
- When had you been talking to the guys?
- Last week.
- Starting from Monday?
- Yes, why?
- Remember this Thursday announcement they caught a group with some bullshit about high frequency waves?
- Yeah, but did not you think… Come on, it is not connected. How can you imagine that?
- Easily. They really make waves of another nature. The resonance frequency they aim could be a center in human brain. Brain gets stimulation to produce endorphins. That makes a person feel like he or she is in love. It generates visions during his sleep. I can not understand why they do it?
- Maybe that is their way to go against establishment. People get excited, think about relations Ban, their rights limited and make riots?
- It sounds real. But why us? I don’t want to be a puppet in political games.
- Relax, Jason. At least we got closer to the truth.
- Yeah, you’re right.

Jason came to this sea shore anticipating father’s strong hug. His father, George, was a former civil pilot, now retired. Jason parked his car and went for the shore. His dad waited for him on the bench on the beach. When Jason came closer George stood up and they embraced each other.
- How are you, dad? Is you heart behaving?
- Oh, no problem at all! After you found this new rhythm maintainer, I forgot about it! Hope I still have a heart though! I take a walk outdoors everyday. Maritime air makes me feel good.
Gulls were flying around higher and lower, almost disappearing in water and then rising again. Waves were rolling on lightly to the shore of sand. George and Jason started to walk along the shore.
- And what about you, son? How is your job and Alan, Chris?
- Guys are all right! Alan’s Kevin have a great progress, - cheerfully said Jason with a hint of sadness,
- Big boy and a smart one!
They came to one of the benches and took their seats.
- Job is fine. We worked hard on our new project all thru the year. Three months left and I hope it will be a small revolution in our field. Management gave us stock option for half the current market price. After the project is revealed to public shares can go 3-5 times higher in a year!
- That smells like ten million!
- At least!
Jason looked ahead pensive.
- Look, dad, I sometimes think of life before the division. What do you think of it?
- Oh, dear!
George took a pinch of sand. He started pouring it out thru the fingers.
- I was twenty when it all began and I remember a lot. It was both better and worse. We sometimes had fights with guys for girls. It was severe rivalry compare to nowadays correctness! And it was direct relations, telephone calls, cinema’s back rows, night walks, eyes to eyes talk and scent of skin! You can not even imagine what we have lost after all!
Jason answered half tone but firm:
- I think I can!
George paused and went on:
- And then I met your mother. She was so beautiful! We got married in a couple of years. You were happy to be born before the Ban, son. You know what happened next. Human Right Party spread the ideas of person’s equality and independence and one day we divorced. It was all the wrong ideology! She was a good mother anyway… Something very natural and serious went from our lives. Now people order sex robots like milk or fresh newspaper! They do not understand the depth of feelings we had when men and women loved each other…
Jason listened to George and saw through the words his mom and dad, young and happy, a park in autumn with Laura’s figure coming to him, Laura with a wine glass that tells him about Sauterne taste. Where all of it has gone?
Night fell on the streets of the city. Jason paid for the taxi and looked over the place. At the edge of the park there was a glass house. Muted music was heard from inside the Glass Cube, as was written on the entrance. Beams of light were so powerful that it made trees and air around the Cube flash with different colors. Glass walls of the cube were not hiding much. Dancing crowd and DJs were visible from the outside. Two entrances with M and W signs as usual. Both had face control of its gender... Taxis were coming, people stood in lines for the entrances.
Alan and Chris went out of the taxi. Together with Jason, all three went to entrance line. Chris showed his ID to the door man and entered inside with the company.
Noise of music and people trying to talk was everywhere. Jason noticed five or seven Personal Delivery terminals close to the wall as they entered. No one seems was interested in it at this hour.
A yellow line was drawn in the middle of the dance floor. Men were mostly talking, staying or sitting. Some men were dancing, some look to the women part wondering what is going on there. Lots of cocktail glasses were seen everywhere.
All three came to the bar and took seats. Chris ordered some drinks. A barman puts three cocktails looking like milk shakes on the bar. Alan looked suspicious:
- Hey, did I miss something? Last time Lime Seniorita was pure as dew!
- Sure, pal! Last month bomb in cocktails! You have this protein-mix add and wake up tomorrow with fresh mind no matter how much you drink it! Give it a try! Just one works all night!
- I’ll try! I need fresh mind tomorrow! –said Jason and grabbed one.
Alan looked at the glasses in disbelief and took his.
In an hour they had three empty glasses each. Music became less loud and more relaxing. Or was it the cocktails that made this change? Women’s part was more active on the floor and girls were mostly dancing.
Jason looked at the girl’s floor. He suddenly saw some face there looking like Laura. She turned her back a moment before Jason could recognize her. A girl was dancing very much like it was in his dream. Or was it a dream really? No matter. He knew it was Laura. Jason became so excited he did not try to cover his interest in girl’s dance floor. He stood up and started to walk along the divider line keeping the girl in sight. Chris came to him from behind, well drunk already.
- Hey-hey-hey, you missed the PD terminal, man?
- Is not it time to go there and get yourself a real pleasure? - asked Alan. He was drunk a bit too. Come on Jason! Let’s get the dolls and celebrate this Friday!
- No, Alan, wait a second, - said Chris. - We are here on the club promotion!
In a minute music went down, dances stopped and public roared. DJ spoke loud:
- My dear crew of my space shuttle! The captain is speaking! This night will be unforgettable for everyone! We have a mega-galactic gift from The Personal Delivery. At midnight you will be served with best PD robots for everyone! Absolutely free! Choose and enjoy!
Music went on. Ten minutes later big old-fashioned analogue clocks started countdown for the midnight. Minute arrow hit twelve. Doors opened and PD bots started to fill in the hall. The men’s dance floor quickly turned into completely different crowd. Men were mixed with very attractive bots wearing various types of clothes from almost modest to very sexy. Every one of them had a bracelet on its wrist. Some of bots danced, some sit and talked with men.
Jason tried to look at the women part of the club. He looked for Laura but the club was overcrowded now. Girls were also having fun choosing a bot that looked like a man. Chris was concerned that Jason is off the game:
- Hey, Jason! Are you OK? You gonna get the chick or what?
Jason hesitated and then came to decision:
- No, Chris. I don’t think so. Maybe next time. I’d better take another drink.
He headed for the bar with a grin.
Alan turned to Chris:
- See what I meant? Okay, the hell with it, we will party! What intellect index they have? - Alan waved towards coming robots, smiling. - I can’t handle “high” tonight.
Foolishly smiling Chris replied:
- I’m afraid I can’t handle "average"!
- Well, well, here come the babies!
Two robots were approaching Chris and Alan. One was a dark skin tall replica of a girl from commercial; another was a nice looking blond.
- Hi, I might be yours tonight.
- Yeah, call me Chris.
- Chris, I am Karen. I deliver tons of joy. You will not regret. Just return me tomorrow without major damages, - and Karen smiled.
- Karen, I order PD not for fighting, but for… You know – talk together, dance, jogging in the morning. And in no way I admit any physical contact; - Chris made big eyes pretending to be very serious.
That worked, Alan and robots were laughing. It looked absolutely natural, a company was having fun. A slightly too wide smile or an absolutely perfect motion and immaculate skin could not distract a man after three cocktails.
Music got louder, Chris and Alan talked to their robots but voices were drowning in that noise. They went dancing, enjoying the moment.
An hour or more passed. Friends were getting tired of the club. Alan offered to go.
There was night fresh air outside. Chris held Karen with both hands; Alan embraced his “doll” with one arm around waist. Jason stood opposite the two couples.
- Okay, guys, call you later. It was nice seeing you. And Chris – terrific club, thanks.
- No problem. But you did not get full service. Take care, man.
Two pairs got into taxies and went in a moment. Jason looked around and turned to the nearest tree. Tree was well shadowed giving a nice shelter for anyone who wants to be unnoticed. Jason started his hunt.
Women entrance was to the right of his cover and Jason could clearly see it. From time to time two or more women were leaving the club some with men-robots and he looked thoroughly on their faces. At last he saw her. She was alone. He was ready to run with his hart beating fast. She decided to walk. Apparently she lives somewhere close to the place. Jason made a step forward from the shadow.
All the way to her house he never tried to catch her and was hiding by corners and trees.
Laura came to her door and went in. She closed the door and the lock clicked.
Jason waited till the light in the apartment is lit on. He approached the building and crossed a W line. The buzz rang and he heard:
- Warning! You are leaving men’s area!
Then he came to the door and looked at the list of inhabitants. Buzzes and warnings were coming one after another. Jason took a picture with his mobile chip and saved the list. But he was long enough outside his area.
“You are fined for 950 dollars for entering women area! This is reported to FGI.”
It was impossible to wait till the morning. It was 3 AM but Jason turned in his smart screen and loaded the list. Excited, he started to scroll down the names. There were the name – Laura Wilson. Apartment twelve.
It was his Laura. Jason exhaled and slowly pronounced her name:
- Laura…
IV

V
For the next several days Jason was lost at his job. It took almost all of the day time and he spent two nights in the office on the couch. Today he finished a week-long experiment and made a conclusion for CEO* just before lunch. After lunch Jason hurried up to his apartment.
He entered the living room and commanded:
- Turn on the screen!
- Now Personal Delivery site! And an espresso!
The noise of a coffee machine in process was on the kitchen. Jason took a cup of coffee and went to the couch. He scrolled thru robot pictures with hands waving in the air. He was looking for a particular man-like robot. At last he stopped at one. This was the face as Jason’s twin brother.
- Chosen.
- You made a model selection. Please proceed.
Screen displayed a sign “Please make your choice of features”
Intellect – (High, Medium, Ordinary), -
Ordinary
Romance – (High, Medium, Ordinary), -
Ordinary
Muscle Strength – (High, Medium, Ordinary)-
Ordinary
Contact Intensity …
*Chief Executive Officer

Jason looked through the settings for the bracelet that makes the robot unique and finally left them as default.
- No shuffles with basics.
- You are almost done.
- Total - $385. Please fill in your address and time of your Private Delivery before payment.
- 259 West 28th street. 7 PM.
- We are very pleased to serve you, sir. Your Personal Delivery will be at 7 PM. Have a nice day!
Jason took a laser flashlight from the shelf by the couch. Then he mounted the wireless scanner on the glass table and put the flashlight on it.
- Read the settings!
Screen displayed the bar of reading the flashlight set up. After reading it was “Wavelength for “on” - blank, Wavelength for “off” - blank “
- Put in the parameters! 0.45 nanometers for switch off and 0.67 nanometers for switch on.
- Done!
Jason took off the flashlight from the scanner and pressed the first button, then the second.
- Old junk but works!
One hour later the doorbell rang. Jason came to the door and opened hiding behind it. A robot almost copy of Jason hesitated for a second then stepped in. Jason closed the door being at the left side of robot’s back.
- Hi.
- Hi, - said robot turning to his left where Jason held a flashlight at the eyes level. Jason pressed the “off” button and robot instantly froze with eyelids slowly closing.
- And bye!
Jason took the robot with both hands and pulled it to the couch, arm with bracelet hanging. He puts the wrist with the bracelet to the scanner on the table.
- Turn on “Decipher”!
- This is a program for internal use only. Please enter the code.
- 72W377B9.
- Correct. Please wait, - several seconds later, - Deciphering complete. Number of the bracelet - PD16OZ12.
Bracelet released the lock. Jason scrolled thru settings and finally got the line with the address - 259West 28th street.
- Change address
Address on the screen got blank.
- 305 West 34th street!
- Done.
- Turn it off.
Jason detached the bracelet from robot’s wrist and puts it on his own.
There was not enough time and Jason needed to make everything fast. He was wearing a blue shirt, deep blue tie and a grey suit - all very close to what robot came in. He did not used to the bracelet yet but this was a part of the plan. He looks left and right from his house doorway. The night street was empty and half lit with light. Jason turned right and went down the street. A hundred yards ahead a person was coming towards him. Two men were catching him up and one of them shouted:

Jason understood it is not said to him. Anyway he stiffened and could not move for a second or two. Then he turned to the closest tree and hided by the trunk. He was in panic. He was shivering and breathing fast. He heard distant conversation of FGI agents to a man.
- Okay, good night, Sir!
Jason slowly was coming to normal state. He took a deep breath. Another one. He went out of his shelter and proceeded down the street. FGI officers should have turned to another block.
Jason tried to cross the M line. Nothing happened. He crossed W line and walked on women side of the pavement. Nothing! That was the bracelet!
“No conflicts with implanted chip - that’s amazing. If you are a robot – you have freedom to go anywhere”, - thought Jason.
He reached the block where he knew Laura lived. Or was she his Laura? He could not understand all of it yet. Being on alert, anyhow he missed the moment when two police women approached him from behind 20-30 yards.
One of them told her partner with no emotions:
- A man in a women’s block? Hate to check these bots.
- Okay, Sandra. Let’s go and check.
And Jason heard:
- Stay where you are! FGI!
He shudders, but regained his composure pretending he is a real bot.
The officers came closer.
- Your name or your number!
- Number PD16OZ12, Madam, - said Jason as neutral and calm as he could. His heartbeat was heard a mile away he was afraid.
- Show me your bracelet!
Jason extended his arm. Sandra’s partner stood aside ready to help with her right palm on the gun holster. Sandra read the bracelet with a small mobile scanner.
- Okay, PD. Address is local.
She simply turned away from the bot, and headed to her partner saying angrily on the way
- No real job, just wasting time with these fucking bots!
- Oh yeah! - Her partner seems to have fun still, - These bots are really fucking! Aha-ha-ha!

Jason rang Laura’s doorbell. The door opened. Laura looked surprised with what she sees. Even more that surprised – she could not say anything.
- Hi, - Jason gently smiled. He looked at Laura and saw Laura – she was all the same as in the dream.
- Hi!
- I am your present from your friends, - Jason showed his bracelet.
- Okay,-Laura got confused, hesitating.
- Sure, you can refuse and make my day shorter. However, I will be disappointed,- now Jason got his gear and smiled charmingly looking straight in her eyes.
Laura looked friendlier. She did not want to reject the friend’s gift, but she was not in the mood to have sex either.
- Well, maybe you are a good entertainer and tell me a story. Okay, please, come in.
An hour passed fast. Laura and Jason were seating on different couches. They were relaxed by now, both have fun. Jason had his dream in front of him. But it was not Laura for sure. She did not recognize him. At least he never noticed that.
Laura held a glass of sparkling wine. Her bottle was half full standing on the table. Jason was finishing another joke.
- The guy says – “fuel prices squeeze my budget.”
- His friend – “Wait a minute, you do not have a car”
- “Yeah, but I do have a lighter!”
Both were laughing.
- You are quite an actor! Unusual for the guys from PD! Well, it’s too late and I need to have a good sleep.
- Oh, sure, I will disappear in a moment! Thanks for letting me stay and good bye, - said Jason with a hint of sadness.
- Bye!
Jason stood up and heads for the exit. They looked at each other as Laura was closing the door. It was like a neutral glance of a woman to a robot but it has so many meanings for both of them!
Laura stood by the closed door with her back leaned to it:
- Unusual bot…

Jason broke into his apartment in a hurry. Lights in the living room and kitchen were turning in with delay. He put his hand with the bracelet on the scanner. Description popped up on the screen.
- PD W16OZ12, address 305 West 34 street.
- Change address, - address on the screen got blank.
- Enter 259 West 28th street!
- Done.
Jason pulled off the bracelet then put it on robot’s wrist. He pulled the bot to the door. Trying to keep the bot standing straight Jason lifted its eyelid and flashed with laser beam. The bot awoke and came back to “life". Jason opened the door and said
- Thanks pal! My best regards to your operator!
- Thank you, Sir! Good bye! - Robot found a way to elevator.
VI
Day 6, blue.
There were several days that Jason was completely devoted to job. It was his passion and he applied all his talent and abilities to it. Anyway, Laura did not come out of his head. He could not live without her. No matter what had to happen, Jason decided to act. One evening he came to Laura’s house as a robot again. Laura opened the door:
- Oh, hi! Is it a charity club? I asked my friends, no one ordered you!
- You do not know this friend. I can explain if you let me in.
- Well, you need to tell me something very convincing… Okay, come in.
Laura turned back to enter her apartment and Jason followed her.
Laura stood in the middle of the room while Jason was close to the door.
- Well, two weeks passed and you are here again.
- Yes. Laura…- Jason hesitated, not knowing what to start with.
- No, bot! Tell me something I can trust!
- I am not a bot!
- What??
- I am not a bot. I am a man. Jason Blake. I work in IT for Starex Semiconductors, - Jason took a pause while Laura was looking at him in astonishment, - It sounds weird and maybe crazy but about a month ago I saw a dream. It was you and me, we lived happy life together. It was like my father told me about his life. I see the dream every night; things are developing like in real life. I have never been happier before than in that dream! I tried to find an answer why this happened to me, why we all live divided. Why I never have such feelings in real life as I had in my dream. I was lost and did not know what for I live. And then I saw you in the club and I got my purpose. I want to be with you, no matter what is the price! No matter how long it would be! I want to be with you because I love you!
Jason makes a step towards Laura.
- Stop it! Wait! I do not know you. You come as a rocket, as a… truck, crushing everything and I am at a great risk if I am caught by police with a man! –She paused, - But you know what? I recognized you, Jason, the moment you showed up at my door.
Jason popped up, eyes wide opened.
- Did you see me before?
- No. You were in my dream. About a month ago…It was beautiful. You and me…. and no dividers… It lasted for a week maybe. And when you came as a bot, I tried to have it last, even if you are just a bot.
- Laura!
- No, Jason. No! It was a dream! We do not have any future in real life. We may spend a month together and then somebody report us to FGI. We will live all our lives separated behind bars. I am sorry, Jason. You can not imagine how I want to be with you! But the risk is too high… I am so sorry!
Jason came closer to Laura, embraced her and kissed. Both were silent and sad.
- I will make it happen even if I don’t know how. I will never give up. I want you to be with me. I love you Laura. I will find the way.
Jason opened the door and went out. Lock clicked.
Laura with eyes filled with tears collapsed on the couch sobbing.
VII
Day 7, blue.
Morgan’s office was very traditional for a heavy-weight well-established politician as he was. Solid and expensive old-fashioned furniture, heavy draped windows and a historical Act that Morgan created and made legitimate was hanging on the wall in a wooden frame against his table. His secretary Higgins, a man in early forties, slim and sporty, was standing close to the table.
- As soon as lawyers finish it, I need the papers. What is your estimate?
- 6 pm, Sir.
- Okay. I expect the bankers by that time. I think we are done by 8 and ready for take-off. Higgins, I need the dolls right before dinner, let say 7.30. Money guys should be treated with the real things.
- Yes, Sir. All arrangements are done. The Casa Blanca is being prepared from 8 in the morning.
- And Higgins, I want it smooth. We need this deal, don’t let me down.
- Of course.
Higgins came out of the room.
Senator walked to drawers and opened a cigar humidor. He took a cigar, clipped it and lighted. Morgan has rigorous but calm and self-assured face that does not change its expression much no matter the situation. He has straight posture of a strong body that physically was not older than forty. By his fifty five he made his life the way he could never fear of anything. By 2052 Morgan had no enemies that could bother him. Last years he enjoyed his life and did everything to enjoy it more – implementing his perfect strategy and making immaculate deals to make wider his area of power and influence.
La Casa Blanca was a big two storey building surrounded with thick row of bushes. Apparently easy to access bushes hid a dense wire mesh and a dozen cameras and microphones for every hundred yards. The house was thoroughly guarded, as mafia mansions were guarded before. La Casa Blanca was one of the houses belonged to a gang in the past. Mafia property was nationalized and then sold at auction. Ironically, it was acquired by a group that Morgan controlled. Mafia days finished in 2037, when the last clan was identified by undercover agents. It was an operation that allowed many FBI officers be proud of. However many of them later were forced to look for another jobs in private security or FGI since organized crime vanished and all other crimes were controlled by ordinary police.
White building had twelve bedrooms, two connected pools, a helicopter landing area, tennis court and a golf driving range. One could live here forever, but as it happens in life, the owner was always busy to enjoy it at full scale.
The premises were full of cleaning and serving personnel. Everywhere something needed to be brushed, cleaned, relocated; dishes, glasses and cutlery to take its place. By 6.30 it was ready. First, the stretch limo arrived to the huge forged gates of the house. Gates were open by security that no one could see in the house. Five persons at a shift and four extra today, they were working day and night to maintain total privacy of the place. Limo drove to the Casa’s entrance. A porter opened limo’s door and fairies started to fly out of the car one by one. They were served a welcome glass of Champaign. A steward ushered girls to the terrace where they spread over. Some were sitting at the couches looking at the sun that was quickly descending to the ocean. Some were talking staying close to railings.
At last the slight distant noise turned to an overwhelming rumble and a massive helicopter sat at the landing area. Engine stopped and silence of a quiet evening with nice piano music returned to the place.
Morgan and seven other men came out through the opened chopper’s door. Still wearing ties but all were cheerful anticipating fun, nice dinner and all that accompany it after a difficult banker’s Friday.

Everyone collected on the terrace. Waiters served everyone with whatever was ordered and the party was ready to begin. Morgan stepped out with his glass in the left hand and said
- My dear friends! That is what I call good job! I am proud that in the circumstances we were in the beginning we found enough ability to cooperate and made it happen! Congratulations! For every one of you!
And Morgan made a generous gulp of his glass.
- Now we have all the reasons to party! Please enjoy!
Music got louder and the terrace began to fill in with chatters, glass tinkling and laughter.
At nine guest and girls were sitting by long dining table. After an hour and a half it was finished with desserts, cognac and cigars. Bankers were fed up with business talk and turned their attention to the girls. Some knew it; some guessed that Morgan prepared something special for them. Most of them never were with real women so excitement was in the air. Girls were modern geishas; calm and charming, able to discuss different matters. They were slightly relaxed by Champaign enough to be merry and reactive instead of sleepy. Though they were professionals, not the one had anything vulgar in behavior or appearance.
Long periods of robot usage could make any man rude and straightforward. Men lost their humor and allure that attracted women in XX century. Meeting a real woman now could make a man feel nervous and confused.
Bankers had several drinks by now that gave them enough courage to take their first attempts. Here and there, pairs were chatting. Girls knew their roles. They led the conversation to fast and easy decision. A man needs not to be a complicated pick-upper but conversation was an exciting and intriguing part of the game. It was midnight when all the pairs including Morgan with a girl went to different corners of the house taking their bedrooms. The big Morgan’s deal was closed.

VIII
Day 8, blue.
Laura had a friend of her, Kate. They met each other in Smart Fitness and quickly found much in common. They had been meeting not often nowadays. Today’s meeting was Kate’s cry for help. She called Laura to talk on the “very important issue for her”. So Laura was happy to see her friend and maybe help if she could.
She went down the street on W side. It was a couple of blocks to caf; where they were to meet. Laura was passing a commercial center with screens in the glass walls addressed to the street. While standing on the crossroad waiting for the green light she looked at the screens. There were mixing advertising of PD bots with pleading to find Casey exhibiting his photos and other ads. One of it was with quiet piano music that sounded familiar to Laura. Some doctor with a face of a world savior was saying:
- If you are sad and some bad reminiscences regularly disturb your living we will help you.
Teazex is made to calm you down, for better sleep, for your better life.
After that the slogan appeared “Teazex – we are here for help. (Requires a doctor prescription)”
Music faded and Laura did not recognize it. She turned and started for the caf;.
She was stopped by the hoarse female voice:
- Do you need Teazex, Laura?
Laura turned around and saw a drifter – an old woman wearing tons of rubbish clothes.
- Are you talking to me? How do you know my name?
- Name is not important if you are in love!
Laura looks at drifter closely.
- I am not. Why you say that to me?
- I don’t know. I don’t know. Words come and go. Something inside tells me that.
- Do you know what this Teazex is for?
- I don’t know. But I see if anyone loves. Laura is in love!, - drifter were going away from Laura with her voice fading.
Laura stood surprised. After giving it a thought she continued her way to cafe.

A table in the “Ginger” was served with two cups of coffee and two plates of cakes. At 5 pm caf; was almost empty. Laura was sitting opposite Kate sipping coffee, talking on this and that. They spent some time on this and Laura asked:
- Look, Kate, you asked me to come to speak on something important to you, am I right?
- Yeah, Laura. Just wanted to share it with you. I am in an incredible situation!
- You are far from risk and danger usually, what sort of a situation it is? – asked Laura lowering her voice.
- I could put it that way, well … a strange affair. An affair with a robot.
- Are you kidding me?
- No. I used to order one model with highest intellect and fine attitude. Two months later I felt like an addict. I had been ordering the same bot just in different clothes. And he was fantastic! Can’t even think of him as of “it”. Yes, he was! He told me jokes that I liked, he was so special… and tender… I was the only one he lived for… At least that was what I felt. I saw something in his eyes that I don’t believe is a robot’s feature. He looked like a real man.
- What if he was a real man?
Kate’s eyes wide opened:
- What? No, Laura, that’s impossible! - Pausing - I had been ordering him on PD site all the time. You think they have men – operators that could come to the address instead of a bot? No way. Operators are not so smart and charming, - Kate smiled and then got serious - They can’t handle that kind of risk, by the way.
- So what you gonna do with it?
- My doctor said it is a dependency that I need to cure. I got a prescription and sleep way better now. No, I didn’t forget it at all, just fractions of feelings left. A couple of weeks and I’d be fine, - and Laura smiled again. - All in all, I am better now but the story was frightening in the beginning. Dependency is a disaster!
- What is this medicine name? Love-killer?
- You should have heard. Teazex. Why you ask? – Kate looked at her with interest rising- Do you have a cute bot?
- Oh, no, Kate, I haven’t. - Laura looked in her cup with sad eyes, - Just in case…
IX
Day 9, blue.
Jason was sleeping when someone rang his doorbell. He opened his eyes slowly. It was 2 AM. He got out of bed and went to the door. Chris broke into the room. He looked agitated.
- What's up! Are you insane? Do you know what time is it now?
- Alan’s arrested! They just took him away. They are going to take Kevin to a boarding school!
Jason came to the bar grabbing a bottle. He poured two glasses and gave one to Chris.
- Calm down! Tell me how is has happened.
Chris finished his glass with a gulp. He still had fast breathing.
- You know man, it’s all over? They screw him up. Listen! We were on the party with Alan last Friday. We ordered PD to hang out. A PD girl came. I was such drunk I passed out. When I woke up she was gone. It was a motel at the middle of the 17th street. It was a set up, I swear! Alan had sex with her and she reported Alan to FGI. It was a real girl it wasn't a robot. Do you understand? They accused him of rape.
- Look! I will try to break into Private Delivery website. There should be an order. Who called them? You?
- No. It was Alan.
- Ok! His order should be still inside the system. We will try.
Chris was fussing to and fro. Apparently he was very frightened. Hologram of desktop appears in the smart screen. Jason started to manipulate with his hands as he worked thru the process.
- Shit! They cleared it out. There isn't any order. Last one has been 3 week ago and nothing later! That's it. Everything is over! We were talking yesterday. Alan said he got something against senator. He looked weird yesterday. He said that it's gonna make a lot of noise. Switch it off.
Desktop disappeared. Chris rubs his forehead few times.
- Shit, I can't remember that night! I can't. They should be slipped in something to me.
- Come on, Chris, calm down! Don't be a jellyfish. That won't do any good. Do you happen to know where Alan got the information on Morgan?
- Alan had a meeting with a banker that he knew for ages. They hang out at some place later and the banker told him the story after fifth shot. Bankers were at some villa with Morgan. As it turned out, bots Morgan ordered for dinner were real girls. Guy’s made a video – it is clear the girls did not wear bracelets. This video Alan got later from his friend. There is Morgan with a girl too.
- Morgan is not happy I guess. And now I understand what he is afraid of! Alan is in a big trouble. They made it clean.
Chris was close to hysterics.
- I told you! They want him to go to jail! It's all over. Wait a second! This video could be our shield for some time and a weapon against Morgan to release Alan.
- I am not so sure. You could expect everything from Morgan.

X
Day 10, blue.
A prison cell was a concrete walls with a sliding door of full-length bars. A two-level bed stood by the left wall. Alan was escorted with two guards to the door from outside. His wrists were in handcuffs. A guard unlocked the door with a big finger pressed against fingerprint pad and let Alan in. After that he unlocked handcuffs and went out of the cell, locking the bars door from outside.
In the cell a man was sitting playing in some game on a smart pad on the lower level of the bed.
Prisoner looked unfriendly and after guards left asked:
- Who are you?
Alan looked at unshaven face of his neighbor:
- Name’s Alan. And yours?
- Jim... So what they sign you up with?
- It was a set up… Rape set up.
- Oh man, you are in deep shit! Five if it was her set up, twelve if it was only your idea…
- What about you?
- I have three years ahead of my eight for shooting a man. But you know, the gun was not mine, they just threw it in my trunk!
- Year, I heard most of the people are here by mistake.
- You don’t believe me? – Jim started to stand up with menace in his eyes.
- I was not serious, Jim, relax.
- Think before you speak, man. – Said Jim and sat back on his bed.

Chris was going down the street as usual, on the men’s side. He looked cautious, glancing left and right. TV screens were displaying clips of Teazex and Karen promising “oceans of pleasure”. Chris mentioned that a surveillance camera at the corner of the street turns around in certain periods. He went for the public telephone and took one. It was quite noisy around there, so he was not afraid to be heard by someone. He looked at the piece of paper and dialed the number from it.
There was an answer on the other end:
- Morgan.
- You have twenty-four hours to free Alan and his son. If not, the country will know your real PD orders. The video will leak to public!
- Who is this? Who the hell is Alan?
- You know who Alan is. Twenty-four hours.
Chris hanged up the phone. He was leaving the place in a hurry, looking anxiously right and left. Men on one side of the street and women on the other were walking relaxed. They had their time for shopping.
At the same time Senator Morgan’s office was like an attacked beehive. Morgan was in his cabinet asking Higgins:
- Did you follow up the call?
- Yes, Sir, the public booth, 35th street.
- Any cameras there?
- Unfortunately… The guy was prepared. Cam rotates in periods of 45 seconds. He was quick enough.
- Bad luck, - Morgan pauses, thinking, -We need to end up this story with the journalist. There should be no any leaks! You got it?
- Yes, Sir!
- And find me the caller. Squeeze everyone who new this journalist.
Morgan was absolutely calm during all of his talk. He was talking as if he discussed a dinner with a friend. Years of political fights, undercover games and tremendous experience helped him always have control on himself and on any situation.

Morgan used to make golf exercises, as he called it, in the room with golf simulator next to his cabinet. His secretary served as a caddy for him – discussed distances, breaks on the green and gave clubs to the boss. The simulator was a top end device including all around the room jelly screen with artificial grass on the floor. Sounds were coming from everywhere - birds were singing and whistling around, wind and rustle of leaves, even “fore!” you could hear from the nearest fairway from time to time. One thing was not like real. A player needed to hit the golf ball to the screen to the desired direction and distance. Ball dropped off the screen six feet away with little bounce and the system was showing new ball position as it would be on the real golf course. If a player needed numbers of club head speed, angle of attack, yardage of carry, the data were shown on voice command. Otherwise nothing differed from reality and distracted a player from the game of golf. Of course, player did not walk eight kilometers per his round, but fitness was another story. Bike-training or any other cardio in the gym would be a good addition, not so entertaining though!
Morgan was on the fairway of sixth hole par five. He had just made a nice drive of two-sixty yards, exclusive for his years and right in the center of the fairway. He demanded:
- Data!
The screen showed it was two-twenty to the hole, one yard up with right to left wind of three miles an hour.
- Three wood, Higgins.
His secretary took the club from the golf bag, pulled off the head cover and gave it to the boss. Morgan took the club. Figures faded away from the screen giving a player perfect view of the course. If the shot is good, Morgan would have a birdie at least or a chance for an eagle. After two relaxing swings Morgan came closer to the ball and made a smooth long and balanced swing. Ball left the grass with snorting sound from dimples on the surface and went straight with slight curve to the left in the end. It stopped four and a half yards from the hole.
- What a beauty! – Higgins was truly amazed.
Two putts from there was an easy birdie, but Morgan never liked easy tasks. Suddenly he stopped his play and his thoughts took him away.
“Okay, we have him in jail. He could somehow contact with his buddies to share the leak. I don’t need it even after twelve years when he is released. Well, well. It will cost me, but this old scum Foherty owes me a lot.”
Morgan learned the path of his putt, when the system finished recreating fairway grass into the smooth surface of a green with two breaks between the ball and the hole. Not an easy putt. Morgan made a couple of pendulum motions with his putter and stepped closer to the ball. Without turning his head Morgan made a smooth stroke with the putter through the ball. It went left taking the first break of the green. Speed was good but for a viewer ball went far left off the hole. Two yards left and second break started to take the ball right. The less the speed, the more ball was falling to the right. Ball almost stopped at the edge of the hole and in a half of a second gravity did the job. The sound of ball clinking when it hits the bottom of the hole is most desirable for every golfer.
- Got you!
- You play fantastic golf today, Mr. Morgan!
- Thanks. We’ll have a break for a couple of minutes. Get me Foherty on secure line, Higgins.

It was 9 am when Jim was taken by guards to the prison Chief.
Jim was uncuffed and offered a chair and a cigarette. The Chief was in his early fifties but looked quite worn out by his job and life.
- Now you can be promoted, Burger. Do you want to leave us in… let say, next three or four months?
- Sure I want, Mr. Foherty. What do I do for it?
- Are you agreed already? – The Chief asked grinning.
- I can’t imagine what could ever stop me from breaking free.
- Very good… I want… your cell neighbor dead.
- Well…
- Well what? Yes or no?
- How would I do it – he is strong and maybe a good fighter. Gun – impossible. Knife – maybe, but I am not sure…
- Okay, good, we get down to specifics. It will be easier than you think.
Foherty opened his upper table drawer and took something from it. Jim’s eyes were stick to the slowly moving Chief’s fist. Palm opened revealing a syringe.
- That is the best thing for the circumstances. All you need – he falls asleep.

Light from prison corridor shed to the cell floor and part of the wall. Jim was seating on his bed with eyes wide opened and looking to the corridor from time to time. He started to stand up and straighten turning to Alan. Alan was sleeping and his neck and part of chest were opened. Jim looked closely to the spot on the neck where pulse was visible, pulled cover off the needle and took the syringe into right hand tight with his big finger on top of the syringe ready to press and inject the liquid inside. After he got composed and was ready he made a strong and fast stroke to Alan’s neck with his fist and the syringe in it. Alan made a gasp, another, and got quiet with a long exhale.
XI
Day 11, blue.
Jason was making putts on a green putting surface at his living room. His face was indifferent and sad. He was making stroke after stroke. Golf balls were rolling and sinking in the hole one by one. The doorbell rang. Jason leaned the putter to the wall and went to the door.
- What the hell…
Jason opened the door and did not believe his eyes. There was the same bot what he used for cover.
- I have been instructed that you will redirect me to the final destination.
Jason got the point and quickly decided.
- Yes, sure, come in, I need to give you some stuff, - Jason saw Laura’s face in front of him – the only thing he could think of.
Robot came in and closed the door. When it turned back to Jason, it got the same red beam into his eye and froze. Eyes were slowly closing.
Jason was fast this time. He was at the place in half an hour. Laura opened the door. Jason run through it and embraced Laura, kissing her. Then he closed the door.
- It was a nice surprise when this bot came with your message!
- Did you treat him right?
- Quite generous. It drinks coffee with cookies and watches my TV!
They kissed again and Jason said:
- Dear, I need so much to tell you. A friend of mine, Alan, was arrested lately. He spent two days in prison and was found dead. Something very serious is going on. He told another friend of ours, Chris, that he had some evidence against Senator Morgan.
- That son of a bitch, who made division and total ban?
- Exactly. Alan found out Morgan been using special PD service – real women.
- How could that be possible?
- PD site has a link to another site where only highly positioned people could have access. When Alan got the list of clients and their orders, Morgan and the company tried to track him down. They caught Alan on rape set up and took his son Kevin to the boarding school.
Laura sighs.
Jason went on:
- Chris tried to use the evidence against Morgan to get Alan from jail and get Kevin back home. Morgan arranged Alan’s death in jail. Now Chris is so frightened he looks for shelter in any way – go abroad to some old-fashioned countries or enter a left-wing group that is in the forests. I've lost two of my closest friends!
- But now we are together!
Jason looked at Laura’s eyes and gently kissed her. There were no more need to keep their emotions inside and they gave way to the feelings.
Laura was lying in the bed relaxed, calm and happy. She smiled looking at Jason:
- No dream could compare to what I feel!
- Beside one thing. We were free in our dreams. We could spend a lifetime together… Anyway I prefer real life. I want to see your eyes! And I am so happy looking at you!
- Jason, I missed you so much! I told you to go and I was suffering all these days, barely surviving. I could not do anything; -she brushed a hand through his hair.
- I saw you in my dreams. Many times. I have been thinking of you all these days.
Jason kissed Laura tenderly.
- I will make us some coffee.- Laura stood up, put her bathrobe on and went to the bar. She started a coffee machine and found two cups for coffee. Two cups were finally on the table. Jason in his unbuttoned shirt made first sip of coffee.
- Wonderful coffee, dear, - said Jason smiling and looking at Laura, made another sip; - It seems the best coffee in my life! …I sometimes think about these dreams and can not decide where my conscious lives and acts more real.
- When you are in the dream you have no body, right?
- No, I have not. It is a big difference for sure, but my mind is the same in both worlds. Situations are developed faster in the dream and reactions are brisk, sometimes exaggerated. But the mind is the same anyway.
- Don’t you think that your dream is just inside your mind? There is no reaction or connection to other minds.
- Who knows? The mind lives its life in its own or some other world. I don’t know, maybe dreams are just reflections of our minds…

XII
Day 12, blue.
Jason was walking in the street close to his place when his blue chip started blinking and a hologram “Incoming Call. Caller – Unknown” popped up along with telephone beeps. Jason accepted the call and heard:
- Hi, Jason, it is Chris!
Jason got excited; Chris was lost for a week – no calls, no messages.
- So happy to hear you! What’s up, man? Where are you?
- Look, I don’t have much time! Be ready to go tonight. Paul Casey wants to see you.
- Casey? Why is that?
- Can’t say much. You will see for yourself.
Call ended. Jason was happy that Chris showed up and was alive. He is with Resistance obviously. “What do they want from me?”-, thought Jason.
At 7 pm Jason came to the river bank. Soon after he met Chris they were in a small boat. Chris started the outboard motor and headed to the other side of the river aiming an old longboat with the name Seagull on the broadside.
- He is a former religious philosopher, a very strong man. And he seems to be interested in you, -he said.
- A religious philosopher? He does not look like some vegetarian with a long beard on his posters.
Chris grinned:
- You will see.
They left the boat at the pier and went inside the longboat. Rare lights were along their way. Fortunately Chris knew it by heart. It was impossible to find the proper route if one never saw it at daylight. Chris stopped at one of the doors and knocked. The door was opened and a person with an inviting gesture said
- Chris, Jason, you are very welcome!
It was very modest inside if not poor. Jason saw books on Buddhism, Islam, all other major religions and some philosophers – Plato, Socrates - on the bookshelf.
Casey was a higher than average man with discreet and confident face. Jason saw him on police posters but “live picture” told him much more. His way of movement and speech revealed calmness of an Indian saint. However he possessed enough of rough energy to lead people and sometimes amaze them. Casey poured three whisky glasses and gave two to the entrants. He lifted his own glass:
- Cheers!
Jason sipped and choked not expecting it is whisky.
- Did not expect that, right?
- No, not at all. I thought religions are against alcohol,- Jason looked at his glass and waved with it, - If one divides world for good and bad things, I would say whisky is bad.
- I don’t divide the World, - Casey pauses, - And I don’t call things bad or good. There are a lot of substances that could be medicine or poison depending on the quantity taken. Whisky is just one example. Would not you agree?
- I think it has sense… considering whisky. But I can not be indifferent when my friend got killed.
- This is all our personal vision. Do you know who you are?
Jason was confused:
- I think so.
- Not the bunch of ideas or conceptions about who you are, but who are you beyond these conceptions?
Jason was pondering looking at Casey:
- Do you have an answer?
- You are an invisible, intangible part of God. Sometimes you can have that sensation when you create anything or if you are in love.
Jason’s eyes become slightly wider.
- This is a sensation of absolute freedom and absence of fear. This is about how architects, painters, poets create their masterpieces. As if some creative light is inside them, flowing out and creating masterpieces. In other way, the masterpieces are God creations through these people who keep their hearts open.
Casey paused and went on:
- People think they are separated persons. In reality they all are just the drops in the Ocean. The essence of that ocean is God.
- Okay, - said Jason, -. What the wars, disasters and people sufferings do with God?
- Good question. God is no good or bad. God has no mercy in realized world. These are human conceptions only. Cities are built and destroyed, people are born and they die. What is intact – is God, the Conscience, and it changes its form of realization. The realization is people - all of us and what we see around us.
- That is why we are here. We all are filled with this creative light to change the way people leave. We will return happiness to human families and to our country. Every one is ready to fight against Morgan’s gang. If we need to destroy the system – we do it. To make another society – free and happy. They call us left-wing extremists. We are neither left, nor right. We are just people who want to live with full families, love our women and children. This is the fight for the right to tell a good night story to your daughter, to give your wife flowers and buy her a necklace for her birthday. This is - for love. It is so simple and natural. Natural things win…
Casey took Jason’s elbow and led him aside from Chris. He proceeded with lower tone:
- Jason, we need your expertise in wireless network influence. You worked with electromagnetic transmission. We want to develop transmitter that give us undetectable web connection. And Jason, I know you understand now what human love is. You are talented, you are in love, - and your creative light has more power than a nuclear reactor. I also know Morgan’s gang is after you. You should act fast. We are your friends. If you think of asylum to hide – it is not us. Here we are at the war. And you are welcome as a soldier!
Jason was full of thoughts:
- Thank you. I am undecided yet.
- I understand you should think not only for yourself now.
- Right. Mister Casey…
- Paul.
- Paul, how come that all of the people supported Division and Ban?
- You should find out the one who is better off.
- …Robosyntech?
- Bingo! It is owned by some off-shore holding. Guess who is the principal owner? – after a pause Casey said:
- Morgan! First he created Human Right Party. Then he took through legislative changes in our law system to the point of no return… By the way, virus that killed almost half a million people was created in one of Morgan’s laboratories. And so all of the country awaked one day in another world. World of separated men and women and robot substitutes.
- I see. Morgan owns this world.

XIII
Day 13, blue.
The old road coming through the forest was almost straight with rare turns. It was not in use for the last twenty years or so, since the only residence it went to was abandoned by the owner. Jason and Paul Casey went down the road and talked. Two guards were fifty yards ahead and two were thirty yards back off the pair.
- What you asked are k-waves, as we called them, - Casey was explaining – K is for karma. Have you heard of it?
- Karma – as a destiny that you can not change?
- Not really. Consequences of your previous choices is a product you could call karma constitution. As a person, you have this unique set of a character that makes you react on one event and miss the other, make choice in different situations. You seem to have the choice but obviously it is set with your preferences before you come to that choice.
Jason stunned:
- It looks like one can not change his karma since the choice is pre-set?
- That is life is given for. Most people live without thinking of it, engaged in “real” life achievements. – Casey showed quotes with fingers,
- Others change their karma. Creators and monks, people who thinks of life purpose – all make very different efforts to change their karmas, and very few succeed. The key word is Patience. Patience is the ocean of power, that makes a person eternal, fearless and unbeatable. Patience may clean any karma.
- And what specific influences make k-waves on the person?
- They increase karma sensitivity and make a person see his choices clearer… Tell me about your dreams, Jason.
- I discussed it with Alan. It seems your waves made a lot of men see nice dreams. – Chuckled Jason, - Most of them had medicine treatment later though. I’d have not. My girlfriend in the dream looked so real! All my life there was like… here! I can’t stand the fact it was because of k-waves!
- I am not sure you are really disappointed. See what happened. K-waves caused your romantic adventure, so to say, they intensified your life. You got the choice you would never tried for yourself without k-waves. People start thinking, make decisions; they are not more a dumb workforce and clients for “Morgan and Co”.
- That is definitely true…I was curious. Laura told me she saw me in her dream at the same time. Was it a magic coincidence?
- You and Laura are the best match, that is why your dreams were about each other…That is how the waves work. You would never find Laura without your dream. K-waves made that possible…
Casey made a pause and changed subject a bit.
- Did you ever think about the option in your choice you did not choose?
- Yes, what happens? Does not the option untaken just sink in the infinity?
- There is multiverse theory for that. It tells every choice option lives further in separate universe simultaneously, choices create myriads of universes. You told me your dreams are continuous and sequential as real life is. Time in your dream flows faster a couple of times if not more. That explains your eight or seven hours in the night makes a full length day in another universe.
Jason stopped astonished.
- That’s incredible!
- Right, incredible! But possible. You are a rare man, Jason. You have a complete and perfect connection to this second universe of yours. That means, you could change your life in the dream so much that it changes your real life! Our real lives! …We may fight and risk our lives here for freedom and you could just change history in your parallel world to complete what we fight here for.
Jason made several steps in silence and stopped:
- I think I know what to do. I need to find powers against the Robosyntech owner in my dream. They have still very weak Human Rights Party but it takes the gear. I need to talk to Senator Morgan there.
- Is he a good guy?
- Yes, a democrat, bright and powerful.
Casey looked at Jason intently:
- Wish you best of luck. World needs your success…There is one thing we found out about Laura.
- What are you talking about?
- We scrutinized almost every day of Morgan’s biography.
- Morgan’s?
- In 2020 he has a lot of women activist in Human Rights Party around. He had several affairs those days. One of them was forgot as Judy Wilson left the party and disappeared for years. But it turned out she had a daughter from Morgan… Laura Wilson.
Jason became silent, shocked. He could never imagine the dearest person of his life is the daughter of his enemy.
- Are you sure?
- There could not be any mistake, we traced her moves, dates, everything is right.
They turned along the road and found out the old house, or what was left of it. A lake glittered through the young forest behind the house.
- Cities are built and destroyed… - said Casey.

XIV
Day 14, yellow.

Jason woke up as the music of smart-home was sounding for a minute or so. He stood up and went to the bathroom. When he was sitting at the table drinking morning coffee with sandwiches, the “incoming call” sign started to blink along with his green chip.
- Jason Blake! – he answered.
- Good morning Mr. Blake, here is James Higgins, secretary of Senator William Morgan.
- Yes, good morning.
- Senator considers your idea as highly important. Please could you meet Mr. Morgan today at 3 PM in his office?
- Just a second… Yes I will be there.
- This is …- Higgins reminded the address details in case Jason did not know. However Jason knew it. Two days ago when he thought about approaching the Senator with his concerns, Jason learned and planned how he could find and where to meet Morgan.

At a quarter to three Jason was in the Morgan’s office. As soon as he came and Higgins reported it to Morgan, he was invited to Morgan’s cabinet.
Morgan made several steps to Jason and gave a handshake.
- William Morgan, how do you do?
- Jason Blake, nice to meet you.
- Mr. Blake, please have a seat. – Morgan showed to the chair by his table and sat down himself opposite Jason.
- What you sent me is of great importance for every one of us and for all our country. I don’t afraid to be flatulent but we speak of our future. Please, tell me what you have in mind in more details.
- Mr. Morgan. What I could see from current standing, very weak Human Right Party is pumped with sponsor’s money and gets more and more followers from year to year. I am not against human rights. I see that HRP most concern is relations between men and women. Who could be interested in that rising concern in the society? What could be the final goal of that? I could imagine the division of men and women in offices, later in shops and restaurants and, who knows, total gender division!
- I could not find any point in it when you first declared that.
- Right. The winner will be robot delivery business. And there must be a connection to HRP! I know the facilities in most production areas in China, Taiwan and India are pooled by Robosyntech group. It seems they are leading in robot innovation and they prepare to boost their capacity to be able to produce thirty million robots a year. They will launch it just before HRP is set to reach their final goal – total gender division.
- That is a very possible scenario. I see these HR guys in senate. They are aggressive and looks like all of them are in some kind of a conspiracy gang. Mr. Blake, we will try to disclose the owners of Robosyntech and we’ll see who needs us divided. Thank you! Please be careful before it is over. Who knows what they are capable of? When you step on snake’s tail it could bite! If you see anything strange happens around you – let me know! This is not a fair game, this is serious.
- Sir, I appreciate you considered my call important. I believe you could do everything to stop the nightmare! Thank you!
- Be careful and you should warn your sources of information!
- These are my friends and they understand the situation.
They stood up, shook hands and Jason went out of the cabinet.
- A nice guy… But how did he connect these facts?
Morgan pressed an intercom button:
- Higgins, we have some work to do!

XV
XV. Day 15, blue.
Jason was standing by his hologram screen and was digging inside telephone company number list. He found his name in the list and changed places of his name with some Sandra Seymour. Then he closed the application and said:
- Call Laura Wilson
Screen replied:
- “Dialing Laura Wilson”
A telephone rang in Laura’s apartment.
- “Incoming call from Sandra Seymour”
Laura, expecting some mistake said:
- Hallo!
- Hi darling, it is me.
- Hi dear.
- Laura, we are hunted. Please, remember or write down. You have your passport and air ticket in box #2213 at Central Station. Code reads back the number of the box – 3122. We have different flights and I will meet you after passport control in New Zealand. Please hurry up!
- Okay, I will. I love you.
- I love you too, Laura. It will be okay, don’t worry. Just be positive.
Higgins asked Morgan via office-com for an urgent report.
- Come in,- Morgan said. Secretary went into the room, closing the door behind him. He made several steps towards the boss and stopped at the proper distance.
- Sir, we have information that Jason Blake and Laura Wilson have tickets for the flights to New |Zealand today.
- Thank you, Higgins.
Being a man without nerves Morgan seemed to hang on for a moment. He remembered that name, Wilson, of course. He remembered Judy as the only woman touched his heart. But the business demanded his total devotion and he left her. He found out later, Judy had a daughter, Laura. All these years he followed them both from time to time. He never met them, but knew what was going on in their lives. Now the situation was very sensitive and difficult to resolve. His daughter loved this Blake. He was marching back and forth in his cabinet. He tried to come to conclusion and make his decision. Finally he told to Higgins:
- Higgins! Get me the Chief of police!
Laura holding a small suitcase entered the women departure entrance of the airport. In about 50 yards from women doors she saw men coming thru their entrance. There were no Jason, or maybe she could not see him in the crowd. She stood at escalator putting her suitcase down. The escalator was slowly moving her up to the first floor. To the right, separated by high glass wall was the same men escalator. Men stood on stairs, some passing them by in a hurry. Laura was frightened by the police officer when she opened the box on Central Station an hour ago. Police woman just asked her standard questions to see the reactions. Laura needed all of her concentration to keep her speech natural and relaxed. Meanwhile she mentioned that she never was so quiet inside. Of course, conversation with police officer was not a joke, but some kind of stone confidence appeared in her inner space.
Now she held her passport and tickets in one hand and a suitcase in another. She steeped off the escalator and went to the line of flights check-in. She passed the security gate being checked with resonance detector for every possible item that could be dangerous for the flight. It was one second, not more. Laura remembered from history, years ago security search was a very long procedure.
After she checked on her flight and came to the passport control line, she gave a glance towards men line for passport control. Not at once, she saw Jason. He had just given his ID. Some delay made her nervous. She had two women ahead of her. Now only one left and Jason was still at the counter. Two policemen went out of the side door of the men hall and headed fast to Jason. One of them was reaching for the handcuffs from his belt.
- Your passport please! Your passport please! - Possibly at third time Laura realized it was for her.
She gave her passport without any expression on her face. She replied the questions somehow and was given back her passport with permission to go.
Laura does not remember how she entered women’s bathroom but she felt really sick. She went straight to a cabin and threw up. Never before she reacted in that way on stress, no matter the depth of it. She sat unable to move. Thoughts of Jason made her wimp. Suddenly she remembered Judy, her mother. When Laura was fifteen Judy opened some truth about life one evening. They celebrated Laura’s birthday. When friends left, her mom did not want to clean the table. She sat with her beloved daughter with a glass of wine on the couch.
- My dear, you should know something about men and women.
- Mom, we will know it by the end of school, it is not allowed.
- I think you should… I just feel that way, my dear… I remember the first time I felt that you are with me. I was young and free and I was in love…with a man. Life turned the way I did not expect. We parted. And one day I felt sick. I was surprised but I knew, it could be new life inside of me. And it was you….
Smashed, lost and empty she found her place in the airplane. She knew why she was so confident and calm at Central Station. Laura did not have a chance to say Jason that she was pregnant. And now she was alone.

It was a semi-dark corridor in the state prison. Two guards with a man in prison robe came to a cell and stopped at the door. One of the guards opened it and told to a prisoner to come in. Then he closed the door and both guards left.
Jason looked around the cell and sighed. He was alone in a cell for two. He sat on the lower bed and then leaned back with his hands behind his head and eyes open. He thought about the day he passed through.
XVI
Day 16, yellow.
It was an ordinary morning. Jason came out of the bathroom and said:
- TV, news!
Screen turned in and showed studio with red latest news footage:” Robosyntech plot is disclosed”
Jason sat on the chair. A woman in the studio proceeded to read the news:
- As reported from Congress Senator William Morgan revealed documents that disclose the name of principal owner of Robosyntech group. It turned out to be Senator Jim Lowry. Mr. Morgan presented documents that showed illegal donations to Human Rights Party from off-shore accounts made by Lowry. Besides that, Human Rights Party had its second Statute not shown to public. This Statute clearly declared the goal of the party to make a series of legislative steps to convert current society into separated one with two halves – men and women. This supposed to serve the goal of Robosyntech to sell robots to every adult citizen of the country. As wild and insane it could look at first glance the program had it steps to achieve these goals. Time left for realization of Lowry’s plan is just seven years from now. FBI started thorough investigation of the case. As FBI spokesman said, they have enough evidence for twenty years in prison for Jim Lowry just on Robosyntech case. Plot against state security is under investigation.
Jason was sitting silent. It was over. This entire nightmare has ended. There is no more HRP and Robosyntech. Without their ideology they are not dangerous any more.
- Incoming call from James Higgins.
- I’ll take it!
- Mr. Blake? Mr. Morgan is here to talk to you…
- Yes Mr. Higgins.
- Hi, Jason!
- Hi, Mr. Morgan!
- My congratulations, we found so many evidence, this Lowry is a client of state prison forever. Most important, there is no more menace to normal life of the country. And it is a big, big contribution of yours, Jason.
- I am glad to hear that, Mr. Morgan! I see the news and can not believe it is all over yet! Thank you, it was impossible to do without you.
- Look Jason, we make a meeting at Casa Blanca on Friday night, please be invited. Higgins will send you details. Bring your friends with you.
- Thank you, Mr. Morgan, I will come.
- I will be glad to see you with Laura and friends with girlfriends or spouses!
- Sure, we’ll be there!

XVII
Day 17, blue.
Jason woke up. He recalled he was captured and put in prison cell yesterday. What it is so soft and familiar he is lying on? He sat in the bed. He was in his own apartment! What had happened? He came to the mirror to see his chip. It was blue!
Jason came in to a flowers shop. He chose flowers for Laura. A girl at the counter gave him change as he paid for the bouquet. Jason called Laura an hour ago and now he was close to the place they were to meet. He saw her; she was as in his dream. But still they both were in reality.
- Hi, honey!
- He, dear!
- Do you know my dad invited us, Alan with July and Chris with Ann to Casa Blanca?
- I believed it was in my dream!
- What dream, Jason?
- Just a dream, Laura, just a dream.

Casa Blanca became a celebration place again. Everything was set to make guests happy. An orchestra played jazz and lounge. Waiters were running here and there with tall glasses of Champagne.
William Morgan was chatting with his old friend Paul Casey. Both had fun since they met each other not so often as thirty years ago when they were students. Casey went further in philosophy and started to teach students in their Alma Mater. Morgan went into politics.
Jason and Laura came by the side of two friends. Morgan turned to them:
- Hi, Jason!
- Good evening Mr. Morgan!
They shook hands.
- Hi, dear!
- Hi, dad!
Morgan kissed his daughter.
- Please meet my old friend, Professor Paul Casey.
- Jason Blake, nice to meet you.
- Laura Wilson, nice to meet you Mr. Casey.
Morgan told to Casey:
- Could you imagine Paul, Jason was so impressive with his findings; it could change life of future generations!
Casey looked at Jason and asked smiling:
- So, did you manage to change the world?
- In every sense of the word! –answered Jason.

Chris with Ann and Alan with July showed up with glasses.
- Hello everyone!
Morgan turned to Jason:
- These are your friends that helped you to put things together, I guess?
Alan and Chris looked confused. Alan asked:
- Jason, did I miss something?
- Alan, it is ok. Mr. Morgan says we help each other as friends do.
- No, Jason, don’t be so modest. I meant this Lowry case. Is not that you, Alan who found evidence on Robosyntech?
- I hear it for the first time!
- Jason, you told me you friends were your sources?
- Yes, that is right. At this point it is difficult to explain with details. Let’s make it easier. I spent some time writing a novel. Hope that every one of you will find answers there. Please take your copy later. I left it at entrance!
Jason showed a ream of papers on the table by the entrance. Front page read
B A N.

End of part I

Part II
I
Casey got the message “Incoming call. Caller unknown”
- Take it… Yes, who is it?
- A contact in police reported that Jason Blake is headed to the airport now and a group is sent for his detention. It is a van, a driver, two officers.
- Thanks.

Jason came in to the airport doors marked “men’s”. He tried to look quiet but inside he was very worried about Laura. Did she manage to get papers and the ticket? How would she behave in case of danger? He glanced to the women’s part of the airport hall. Escalators were lifting up passengers. No signs of Laura.
He passed security control and confidently came to the passport control window. Officer took his passport, looked at Jason, and paused. Then he made several manipulations with the passport pretending the checking device does not work. Jason turned his head to the women’s side again and saw her. Laura was standing in line, two persons left ahead of her. “It will be all right. She can do that!”
- Sir!
Jason turned to the officer.
- You have to speak to my colleagues, Sir.
And he waved to the side where two policemen were approaching Jason, one of them reaching for handcuffs.
Two guards were holding Jason’s arms at the elbow level and led him to the police van. His hands were handcuffed behind him. The engine was started. When sliding side door opened two men jumped out of the van to the guards. Guards barely had time for defense. Both got electric impulse that could disable a horse for an hour. Two attackers pulled Jason inside, and then took outside someone from the van with hands and mouth stuck with scotch that turned out to be the police driver. They shut the door in a hurry. One of them jumped on the driver seat and headed out of the airport area.
II
It was a dark spacey room with computer screen of the size of the wall. Screen displayed the network with borders of country states. Two operators were by the control desk. Casey and Jason went into the room. They talked but sounds were muted. Screens were right behind them.
- Ok, Jason, I understand you prepared and zipped this file on Morgan. Alan and Chris did their job. How you gonna deliver it to people? Anti-virus systems, firewalls, Morgan’s virus army – how could you manage all of this?
- Paul, we go to the net through electromagnetic field undetectable. We have an electromagnetic switch in every state of the country. Since we are in the net we need fifty seconds to mail our message to every citizen. Yes, Morgan will be a problem. He could make an attack with all his computer army and army of hackers. But we’ll see.
- Good luck! We need everyone to know!
- I need it so much!
Jason sat down in the center by the control desk. Casey stood by. He was concentrated but not nervous in any way. Casey always took life as it was. He was confident, that if sometimes life looked unfair it was just the sign that your vision was far from equilibrium. It reflected your ego had discrepancies from what it expected to get or own. Being free of personal desires makes things happen its proper way.
Jason placed hands against computer pad on the desk in front of him:
- Are you ready?
- Yes, - said first operator on the left.
- Ready! – replied the second.
The two operators looked determined with some stiffness in their eyes that always reveal a lack of fighting experience.
Jason commanded:

- Copy a file called “Morgan’s evidence” in three hundred million copies and keep them ready for transmitting from emulated IP.
It was a heavy duty even for such an advanced machine that Jason had at command. After about ten seconds Jason heard:
- Done.
- Switch EM channel to “ready”!
Operator from the left moved lever at his desk and said:
- Done.
Jason said that with sweat showed up on his forehead:
- Go!
Both operators made waving motions with their hands against desk pads. Wall screen showed lights centered in every state on the map started to turn from yellow to green one by another. Operator on the right said
- We are in!
Jason commanded:
- Mailing start!
Map on the screen was filling with blue color as files goes to their destinations.
At the same time in Morgan’s office Higgins run through the door and said:
- Mr. Morgan, we have a spam attack!
- What’s in it?
- It is about the Ban, the virus origin, your ownership of Robosyntech and one thing more… – they put your order for girls in it.
- Bastards! How can we stop it?
- We do all we can. We add our virus in every file that will stop operating system from functioning. We emulate seven hundred million fake recipients to slow it down, but that’s not enough. They do not send files from one center. They made copies before and send them simultaneously from emulated addresses and it is hard to handle!
- You lose this fight – you lose everything! Go and sweep them off!
- They are untraceable; they are in through electromagnetic ports. But we add more viruses to the file. Recipients can’t open the message even if they get it. And we may increase general spam flow that will overload and stop the web function.
- Do it!

At the Jason’s place the battle was taking higher degree.
- OK, now we have fake recipients. How many?
- Between eight and nine hundred million. It will be longer but we will deliver, - replied operator from the left. Second operator exclaimed:
- I got their virus from our file! It could damage any operating system of a recipient. Jason, what we can do?
At the same time operator from the left wing:
- They are pumping spam, channels are filling to limits! We have less than five minutes for overload!
Jason looked at the map and time:
- We have less than four minutes!
He was thinking while time was ticking away. Everyone was tense and waited for Jason’s action, decision or just a word. Clocks counted seconds when finally Jason said:
- Got it! We put our “zombie” in the file. Morgan’s virus adds to our file not detecting a “zombie”. “Zombie” will kill the virus when recipient opens the file!
Jason told to microphone on the desk:
- Modify the file!
- …File is ready for modification.
- Add Zombi 3716.
- …Done.
- Clear your memory of the old messages and copy new file in ten hundred million copies.
Thirty long seconds looked an eternity.
- …Done.
- Send again to all the recipients including fakes.

Map on the screen was showing second wave of mailing. Areas around green lights started to fill in with blue.

Morgan’s office was a battlefield. Excited secretary Higgins, computer operators, assistants were fussing to and fro, making impression of an army that looses its structure. Big screen turns on news on TV.
- …citizens have been receiving files containing the evidence that senator Morgan…
Morgan firmly said:
- Turn it off!
TV shut down.
- It’s over…It’s all over.
Morgan understood he lost this battle and he maybe lost much more. Now all depended on how public opinion will evaluate things.
People went on the streets. They still were on their Men’s and Women’s sides, agitated and embarrassed. A man came closer to the border line. He looks to another side of the street with determination and made his step forward.
The country has never been so united. More than a hundred million people went to the streets of the country cities to show their will to cancel Morgan’s Act of Ban.
Later, after referendum, the Act was cancelled, all dividers between men and women removed. Theatres, restaurants, beaches, sport facilities and offices lost their glass walls between two gender areas.
As a result of crushing demand, Robosyntech closed forty thousand jobs. Senator Morgan retired. FBI found out his possession of Robosyntech and he was taken into custody for further investigation.
Jason and Laura got married.

Список читателей / Версия для печати / Разместить анонс / Заявить о нарушении

Другие произведения автора Флекс Хуфер

Рецензии

Написать рецензию

Другие произведения автора Флекс Хуфер